Mason Lorde
Mason Lorde (1927-) was Prime Minister of Canada from 2004 to 2005 (preceding Abigail Henneberry), from 2006 to 2008 (succeeding Henneberry and preceding Madison Miller), and from 2011 (succeeding Miller). Biography Mason Lorde was born in Barrie, Ontario, Canada in 1927. He worked as a lawyer in Toronto for decades before being elected Mayor of Toronto in 1992, serving until 2000. That year, he was elected leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, elected to the House of Commons, and confirmed as Prime Minister in a vote of 14-12, defeating Conservative Party of Canada leader Lily Zimmerman. Premiership Lorde's first act as Prime Minister was to back the creation of government-provided retirement homes, and the Commons passed the law 24-1. The New Democratic Party sided with the Conservative Party of Canada in shooting down an attempt at imposing term limits on Prime Ministers, which failed 10-14. The Commons then voted 26-0 to approve an agricultural subsidy, 25-0 to approve public libraries, 20-1 to approve agriculture research, 12-11 to approve a school bus tax, and 14-10 to approve land tax. In the general election of 2004, the Liberals won 34.84% of the vote and 10 seats, the Conservatives dropped to 32.47% to 9 seats, the NDP rose to 11.81% and 3 seats, the Green Party of Canada rose to 11.23% and 3 seats, and Bloc Quebecois dropped to 9.64% and 3 seats. The Commons then passed an income tax in a vote of 17-6, and, a week later, Lorde won re-election in a vote of 19-6. Lorde then oversaw the passage of prime minister term limits in a vote of 20-5, the 21-2 approval of a national ambulance service, the 14-11 defeat of a public smoking ban (which had NDP, BQ, and CPC support), and the 20-2 approval of universal health care. The Liberals dropped to 32.19% and 9 seats, the Conservatives dropped to 30.52% and 8 seats, the NDP rose to 17.47% and 5 seats, the Greens dropped to 10.25% and 3 seats, and the BQ dropped to 9.58% and 3 seats. The Commons then voted 21-0 to approve a child benefit program, and then voted 13-8 to confirm Liberal MP Abigail Henneberry as the new Prime Minister. Lorde returned to power in 2006 after the term limit was increased to 4 terms rather than 2, and he was elected in a vote of 17-10, defeating Conservative leader Liam Jennings. The new government voted 13-11 to approve a press freedom amendment to the constitution, approved the protection of plant varieties in an 18-5 vote, and voted 16-7 to approve an air pollution monitor. However, mounting spending led to the country falling into debt, and the Commons voted 11-10 to defeat an NDP-sponsored bill to enact a stamp duty to reverse the depression. The Commons decided, however, to approve a pollution tax in a 17-10 vote, but they then voted 18-9 to approve national parks, leading to the depression worsening. A terrorist attack two weeks later only served to further destroy the country's morale. In the election of early December 2007, the NDP became the largest party in the country with 25.87% of the vote and 7 seats, the Tories dropped to 25.3% and 7 seats, the Liberals dropped to 25.19% and 7 seats, the Greens son 12.82% of the vote and 4 seats, and BQ rose to 10.83% and 3 seats. On 1 January 2008, NDP leader Madison Miller was elected Prime Minister, defeating Conservative leader Liam Jennings. Lorde again returned to power in 2011 after the Liberals surged ahead of the ruling New Democratic Party in the polls, winning 8 seats in the Commons. Lorde was then voted in as Prime Minister in a vote of 17-9, defeating Conservative leader Liam Jennings. Category:1927 births Category:Canadian prime ministers Category:Canadian politicians Category:Canadians Category:Prime ministers Category:Politicians Category:Anglo-Canadians Category:Protestants Category:Anglicans Category:Liberal Party of Canada members Category:Canadian liberals Category:Liberals